Face Reality
by Mikagdia64
Summary: Lucas needed to face reality, so Natsu was going to help him do that. (Lucy is Lucas in this story)
1. Lucas Heartfilia

Lucas is a high school student that takes up paranormal investigation as a hobby. When he finds a haunted house or sight to visit, he's usually alone. Lucas has never really minded going alone since so far, nothings happened. Besides, it's more interesting that way really since the less people there are to disturb the atmosphere, the spirits are probably more open to communicate. _And_ while he's attempting to communicate with the spirits, meaning he's basically talking to himself, he doesn't have to feel like a complete idiot with Grey, Juvia and Gajeel in the background laughing their asses off and making it even harder than it already was. Lucas still goes to school and even has a job but whenever he has free time, is feeling bored, or just can't take his father's attitude anymore, he goes out to talk to the spirits. Just sitting in the alone in the empty space actually helps with calming him down some and gives him something to do that takes his mind off things. Even if people at his school think he's a bit weird, has a few screws loose, and tease him a lot for having such a strange fascination with ghosts - to add insult to injury, he usually shows up at school almost covered head to toe in bandages - he's never let it get to him. Well. _Most_ of the time.

Lately, Lucas has been having some problems with dealing with all _that_. He's just been feeling a bit _lonely_. He's never been in a relationship with someone and doesn't really think he could ever be in a relationship with someone, thanks to his father. Even if he were finally able find someone, they would have to be the right person, someone that _really_ understands him and what he does in his free time. Lucas still holds into hope that he one day, he'll find someone like that. Hopefully soon cause he doesn't think he'll be able to take much more of this... _loneliness_.

Most of those feelings are caused by his father, and those stupid bandages. Usually people just tease him about them and sometimes call him a "Walking Mummy" but a select few who actually look somewhat concerned and have been paying far more attention then they should be, ask about the real reason behind as to why he usually shows up to school almost completely covered in bandages, he's always forced to use the same lie; "It's nothing. I just get a bit distracted with all the abandoned places I go to and end up tripping or something. I'm _fine_ ". But that was a lie. He wasn't fine. In fact, he was far from fine. He hated waking everyday and having to change those stupid bandages but at least they believed that very lie he told himself every morning without questioning it. Without digging deeper, or questioning _him_. Even though Lucas hates lying, he has to lie. He's primarily doing it out of fear. Fear of the truth which was far more worse. No one could ever know the truth. Even Lucas didn't want to **face that reality**.

* * *

Lucas had that strange feeling again. It was a feeling he would have almost everyday, but usually just when he had had another one of those dreams. But this feeling was the urge to go back _there_. To that house. He needed to be inside that house, he needed to be touching something that was inside that house. But the more he went there the more he felt like the energy there would grow each time. More and more, almost to the point where he felt as though it would swallow him whole...but he didn't care. No, the thought of the energy consuming him made his stomach twist and turn and filled him with the urge to run but he needed to go there. It was always easy to ignore this feeling - it usually happened when he was home - but this time was different. The feeling was stronger, too strong for him to needed to go there again. Even if it was in the middle of the night and at the risk of his father waking and catching him, he needed to go there. It was actually better for him to be going at night really. Whenever he went over there in broad daylight, he would notice that people would give him these...looks. Their eyes would be full of pity and Lucas just didn't understand it. Why would they look at him like that? Like he was some homeless child? But, he always ignored their looks. The house drew in all his attention whenever he passed it. He knew with every fiber in his being that the suppressing energy he felt was because of the spirits that lived there. He could _feel_ its presence whenever he stepped through the front door, the feeling of it just sunk into his very core. But the energy wasn't ominous, it was more light and friendly. It was like the spirit knew him and wanted for him to be welcomed into the home. For him to always be in the home. But even though Lucas saw this as progress, his friends thought it was odd - and from the pitying looks they gave him occasionally, it was also worrying - that he was drawn to that one specific house. Whenever he mentioned the home, they would quickly change the subject. Whenever he was staring out the window in the direction of the home, they would change the subject. His friends just didn't like the home but he didn't understand what was so unappealing about it, besides the fact that it was abandoned. They just didn't understand since they were more into fashion and social media and politics. The more he hung out with them and the more they shut down his attempts to talk about the house, the more he questioned why he called them his 'friends'.

He sighed softly and shook his head, scattering the dark thoughts as he stood in front of the house, taking in it's details from a distance. It looked like any other normal abandoned house you would see down the street, inside and out. The house had originally been painted a bright yellow which gradually began to fade over the years, leaving it a very pale yellow that looked almost white like the roof. The windows had been boarded up a while ago and there was shrubbery along the sides and vines that basically covered the whole sides of the place with green. The grass was also overgrown. Lucas could probably point out every detail about the house at this point, inside and out. He could probably even draw it and imagine what the family that lived here would be doing. What the house would look like if there was some actual life in it. But, no matter how many times he tries to remember the family that had lived there - his memory was already splotchy since it had been a while ago - he could never remember their faces or their names even though they had lived there for years. He was pretty sure that he had even grown close to one of them...but he just couldn't remember.

He shook his head again. If he tried to force himself to remember then he would get a headache. Lucas nervously glanced around before walking up to the door. He stepped up to the door and knocked three times before opening it - he always did that to give the spirits a heads up that he was here and asking permission for if he could enter. The undisturbed silence meant that he could enter - if there had been a sound then he would have left since it meant the spirits didn't want to be disturbed at the moment - so he slowly opened the door, it creaked in protest as he did. He quickly closed it, cringing at the loud sound. He _hated_ the sound of creaking doors. It made him remember things that he wanted to keep locked up tight in that box. Lucas shuddered at the thought before doing a quick scan of the inside. He always expected for something to be different but it never was. Papers were still scattered everywhere in the living room and there was still the same amount of abandoned furniture. Lucas sighed.

* * *

Natsu was a bit surprised when Lucas walked into his home in the middle of the night. He had sometimes stood outside and just stared at the place before quickly leaving but this time he'd actually stepped inside. The longer he lingered outside, the more he had just wanted him to come inside. He didn't like being teased. _But_ , something was different. Natsu's always seen Lucas come inside his home, sometimes smiling and occasionally of in la la land but this time, he seemed kind of...worried about something. Natsu _would_ communicate with him - as he has enough power to do so - but he couldn't. No matter how troubled, worried or sad Lucas looked,he needed to be _patient_. He needed to wait for the perfect time. The perfect time to make Lucas snap and finally face reality that he oh so dreaded facing. But, maybe today was the right day. Natsu has tried a couple of other times when he thought it was right, but nothing happened each time. The break in his routine implied that today was the right day. Lucas always came at daylight hours at least once or twice a week. He would always wander around the house than sit on the stairs for hours on end, just staring up at the ceiling or down at his feet, never in between. He would attempt to communicate with Natsu but would slowly lose motivation when he didn't respond and just say a sad and disappointed goodbye before leaving. And then rinse and repeat. Over. And _over_. _**And over**_. It had become so irritating just watching him do the same thing, move the same way, make the same face that Natsu had almost answered when he asked if someone was in the room with him but he managed to hold out. And now he was being rewarded for his everlasting patience. This had been the only thing that was keeping him grounded to this earth. Natsu was still on Earth all for the purpose of making Lucas **_snap_**. He needed to wake up and remember. Natsu refused to let him forget.

The fact that Lucas looked more troubled today then usual was pissing Natsu off since he was the only one allowed to irritate him. Not in reality though. He preferred to do it in his dreams so that he wouldn't be tempted to reveal himself. Natsu unraveled the scarf around his neck and placed it on the ground upstairs in what used to be his room. He needed to know if this was the right time and with this, he couldn't change his mind. The scarf was something he had been wearing when he died so he couldn't part with it since it was basically a part of his whole being. If he did try to resist it's pull, his core would start to ache like someone was pounding at it with a hammer and he absolutely hated that feeling so it would be his punishment if his assumption was wrong. He watched patiently - like always - as Lucas wandered around his home, disappearing upstairs before reappearing with his scarf in hand. He waved goodbye to Wendy and fazed through the door as Lucas audibly said goodbye to the empty home before leaving and starting his walk back home. Natsu watched the stars move backwards as he floating alongside him...it had been so long since he'd seen the stars. Hopefully, Lucas's life would be somewhat entertaining as he waited to determine if this was the time. Natsu sighed heavily. When he did, Lucas looked around with wide, frantic eyes. He started mumbling to himself and didn't stop till he reached The Mansion. He had never reacted that way before.

Lucas stopped and took a deep breath before he unlocked the front door of the mansion. Right when he did, a ball came flying out of nowhere and at his face. Lucas - who has clearly been expecting for _something_ to come flying at his face - quickly stepped out of the path of the ball before it could hit him. He stepped inside and slowly shut the door. Natsu glanced at the tennis ball that now rested on the cold concrete before phasing through the wall, just in time to see Lucas being knocked to the ground, the piercing sound of skin meeting skin resonated through the large home. And now he was pissed off again. He was _still_ doing that. Natsu thought he had stopped doing that when he died but he clearly didn't and this was something Natsu absolutely _**hated**_. Lucas was _his_ to irritate, _his_ to make feel uncomfortable, _his_ to make cry and was _his_ to beat down. But...he couldn't do anything. He still needed to wait until he determined if the time was right or else it wouldn't work. So Natsu just watched, the rage slowly building up inside him.


	2. The Spirit

Natsu floated around Lucas's home to see if his father was still around the house, feeling his core relax when he realized he wasn't. He must've gone out for more booze. He growled, his hands balling into tight fists at his side. If he saw Lucas's father again, he was _dead meat._ The fact that he could just so easily do that without batting an eyelash made him want to destroy everything in this Mansion. What kind of person could even call themselves a human being if they dared to smack someone else around like some rag doll? Natsu has never seen someone beat their own child into submission - like actually witnessed it in front of him - until he met Lucas and his father. Watching him just sit there and take it since it was basically an everyday thing to him made Natsu sort of wanted to cry because of it. But even though he wanted to cry on the outside, he could feel himself _grinning_ on the inside. It was gonna happen soon. Natsu snickered as he floated over to where Lucas was. Lucas's father had locked him inside of - from what Natsu assumed - was some sort of large dungeon, since the door was made out of steel - it probably used to be a panic room. Natsu took a deep breath before phasing through the door. Lucas was covered in cuts and bruises, even a few minor burns. Besides the cuts and other physical wounds, Lucas's father had beat him into unconsciousness. Although Natsu didn't know if it was before or after he hit him over the head with his empty beer bottle. The expression on his face made him look like he was just sleeping peacefully and not in pain. Natsu felt like crying again, but he was laughing on the inside again. He looked down at the floor and rubbed at his arms to keep himself calm...if his emotions got the best of him than things would start doing things without his permission. He inhaled sharply when he heard Lucas's soft weeping.

Natsu looked back up at Lucas. He was crying softly but at least he was finally awake. Natsu floated over to him and slowly sat in front of Lucas, staring at him. His usually warm brown eyes that showed he hid something dark deep inside him were dull and missing any sort of life. His father had slowly sucked out the life from those eyes with every cut, punch, slap and burn. He'd bleed them completely dry. Glistening tears were streaming from those lifeless dull eyes. Natsu silently watched like he always did as Lucas managed to bandage his wounds and cover the bruises with a first aid kit that he had hidden under a white sheet in one of the corners. His crying slowly came to a stop and he stretched before wiping tears in his eyes. Eyes that were still dull and lifeless. Maybe his eyes were always like that. Natsu was...confused. How could he bounce back from that so quickly? Just pretend that nothing had happened at all? Was this what life was always like for Lucas Heartfilia? If so...it would be best if Natsu just put him out of his misery already. He slowly reached out at him and lightly touched his cheeks, tears slowly rolled down his cheeks and a wide grin spread across his face when Lucas jumped at his freezing cold touch.

 _.'Father? The time is now! Can I_ _ **help**_ _him?'._

* * *

Lucas jumped when he felt cold fingers on his cheeks. _Really_ cold fingers. The stinging cold seeped into his cheeks, making them feel numb...like the rest of him. His eyes widened when water dripped in front of him. It was like someone was crying...but there wasn't anyone else in the dungeon with him. Unless...the spirit has followed him back from the house...but how did it do that? He thought back to when he was at the abandoned home. After he had managed to calm himself down some, he wandered around the home. Again. He always wandered around the house. He felt like if he just kept doing that, he would finally remember something about the family. But everything has still looked exactly the same, even upst-oh. There was that scarf. That pure white scarf which was just abandoned - like the rest of the house - on the floor, completely set apart from all the dull colored objects. He had felt like he had seen the scarf before. _Somewhere_. But, after coming to the conclusion that he had probably seen it on some kid at the park, he still picked it up before he left. And that was it! The spirit must have been attached to that scarf. That was proof that there actually was a spirit in that home! And it was now sitting in front of him, and crying for him. No one's ever cried for him. Ever.

The tears stopped but the cold fingers were still on his cheeks. Lucas could feel himself starting to tremble at how happy he was. The spirit was friendly and concerned about _him_. This felt different from how everyone else would ask if he was alright. It didn't feel real when they asked, like they were just asking because everyone else was asking. But the spirit was different. It was like it felt what he was feeling and sympathized with him. Would he be able to touch them? To touch the cold hands? Lucas expected to feel his cheek but instead felt the cold on his fingertips. He smiled softly. "Thank you. I'm alright...for now". The cold feeling still stayed, making him feel kinda tired. He slowly closed his eyes and just focused on the numb, cold feeling on his cheeks. But then the feeling wasn't just on his cheeks anymore, instead the cold was wrapped around his whole being. The spirit was hugging him. Lucas froze under the cold touch and laughed lightly, not really knowing what he was supposed do.

."Thank you".

* * *

The spirit stayed with Lucas, just sitting in front of him with its hands on his knees, reassuring him that it was still there. He didn't know how long...they just sat there. In the silence. Until his father remembered that he had left him in the chamber and unlocked the door so he could leave - the cold feeling was gone almost immediately. He looked surprised and even a little...scared to see him just calmly sitting there, with a smile on his face. Even though the spirit had left and Lucas was now alone with his alcoholic father again, he didn't mind as much as he usually did. He didn't dread being alone with the man like always since there technically was someone else in the house with them. But he did actually want to _see_ the spirit in person. He really wanted to. Lucas calmly stood up and walked back to his room. He picked out some clothes that would hide most of his fresh new bandages, except for the ones on his legs. He sighed, knowing that he would definitely be called a "Walking Mummy" again at school. He chuckled at the thought then froze because he had _chuckled_. This was strange. He's never felt like this before after a beating by his father, he's never felt completely fine. He didn't feel the usual dread in his stomach, or the urge to curl up in a ball on his bed or in the corner. Or the dark thoughts that seemed to swirl out from the equally dark corners of the room and consume his mind. Nope, there was none of that. Maybe it was because of the spirit...

Lucas really hoped that he would be able to see it again. Maybe it could take away those feelings for good.


	3. Meeting

Lucas's day at school was fairly normal - but the spell the spirit had put on his had started to wear off during 6th period and he started seeing the snaking tendrils of those dark thoughts again. _And_ be didn't even know why he answered when someone called him "Walking Mummy" anymore but he always did, with a rightful roll of the eyes though. And now he was just walking home. His father wasn't going to be home until probably 10 or 12. He usually goes out with a few of his close friends from where he works to a popular men's club in the area after a typical night of beating him. Whenever he went out he would always come back home reeking of alcohol and Lucas would have to be more careful than usual cause of it cause even the slightest thing would set him off and Lucas would end up being locked in the chamber for a few days. Or even a few months. He sighed heavily. This was gonna be a long night.

"Excuse me", Lucas jumped and whipped around to see a guy around his age standing behind him. His messy and strangely spiky pink hair stuck up in all directions possible and his skin was tanned perfectly, which just added to his attractiveness, not to mention his warm Onyx eyes that were currently staring at Lucas like he was some kind of treasure meant to be locked away and hidden from everyone else. But he felt like there was a...hidden emotion in those eyes. The guy gave him a little wave and smiled softly, which made his eyes sparkle.

"I'm sorry to bother you but, have you seen my scarf?". Lucas sort of...blanked for a few seconds. He thought he had seen him before...but, he must've been wrong. And wait - that was his scarf? But then why would it have been in that abandoned place? Had he been doing something in there? But that didn't make any sense...what would you do in an abandoned home? Lucas shouldn't be questioning that since he spends a lot of time in abandoned places anyway.

"That was _your_ scarf? Really?", his smile widened - although for a moment, he thought he'd seen him grin. It was probably just his overactive imagination, like always - and he clapped his hands together,

"That must mean you have it!", Lucas smiled,

"Yes, I have your scarf. Follow me", the guy nodded and walked besides Lucas, smiling at him as they walked back to his place. He's never walked home with anyone other than himself so...it was sort of awkward, especially since he's never even met the guy...but he felt like he's known him before. For a long time.

* * *

Lucas grumbled to himself as he rummaged through his things inside the bottom dresser drawer - he swore that he put it somewhere in here after he washed it since it had this weird black stain. The guy, whose name he was too nervous to ask, sat down on his bed, looking around his room. He was mumbling a few things to himself which was kinda...weird and not really good for first impressions, along with the fact that Lucas swore - _again_ \- that he'd seen him grin at one point. Not that he was watching him. He quickly averted looking into the guy's eyes when he noticed his staring. If he gazed into those inky pools of black - that were definitely hiding something - for for too long, he would start to sink.

Lucas laughed triumphantly when he _finally_ found the scarf - he had stuffed it all the way in the back of the bottom drawer...like he didn't want to see it again. Or something - and handed it to the guy. He smiled softly up at him as he wrapped the scarf around his neck,

"Thank you so much!", he flushed - he doesn't get shown such gratitude for anything often - and looked away. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed the guy grinned.

"N-No problem. I did just happen to find it". Lucas plopped down next to the guy and stared at his lap, fiddling with the hem of his sweater. He couldn't look into his eyes. He. Just. _**Couldn't**_ **.**

"I should go, but in case we meet again, my name is... _Natsu~_ ". He paused before saying his name and exaggerated each syllable. Why would he do that? Lucas pushed that thought to the back of his mind and fished out his phone from his bag, looking at the time. It was 4PM. His father wouldn't be home for a while. That meant he would be alone. In the large mansion. Just...alone. Like always. He smiled sadly. Hmn, _Natsu_. Lucas felt like he'd heard that name before...maybe he's met someone with a similar sounding name. He would probably remember at some point. His mind was slower than usual at the moment at being occupied with formulating a list of possible things he could do after Natsu had left...all which involved that abandoned home.

"Okay!". Lucas looked Natsu in the eyes with a smile. His eyes narrowed slightly. Lucas's eyes widened and he almost dropped his phone when Natsu slowly raised his hands and cupped his cheeks. His fingers were ice **cold**. It reminded Lucas of the spirit that had comforted him while he was locked in the tort-dungeon. _Dungeon_. The whole atmosphere around Natsu was strange...and slightly cold. _But_ , he's already looked into it and Spirits can't have human bodies, they can only take on human form. So he was probably just always cold.

Natsu cocked his head to the side - Lucas would have thought that action was adorable if it weren't for the position they were in right now - a definite smile was tugging at his lips.

"Do you want me to stay?". He thought he was gonna break his phone at how hard he was holding it. How did he know? Was it because of Lucas's expression? No, it couldn't be. He's basically mastered the art of wearing a mask of calm, collected nature so people wouldn't question him. He's the master of hiding his emotions. He just didn't want to be a burden for anyone. He didn't like it when people worried about him and any petty problems he may have when others have bigger ones.

"I-what?", Natsu smiled.

"I'll take that as a yes then?". Lucas was embarrassed but glad that he was cupping his cheeks since his strangely cold fingers were helping from keeping his face heating up more than it probably already was.

Natsu dropped his hands down to his sides which made Lucas bite the inside of his cheek so he didn't whimper. He really liked it. The cold - and the affection. Since he was so used to it - but not the affection. It reminded him of that m-wait. Who was it again? His head was starting to hurt. "My father isn't coming back for a while. D-Do you wanna talk, or something?", Natsu nodded, smiling happily,

"Sure!". And that was the start of their conversation.

* * *

After hours of chatting with Natsu and snacking on strawberries, Lucas had learned a lot about him, and in turn, Natsu had learned a lot about Lucas too. Natsu lived with his father - **Igneel** \- and his little sister - **Wendy** \- his mother had died during childbirth so Natsu had no memory of anything about her, like what she looked like, what her voice sounded like-just _nothing_. It was kinda like she didn't exist. It was sort of similar to Lucas but his mother didn't die during childbirth and instead when he was a little older, around 13. His father always blamed him for his mother's death, which he's never been able to understand why since she had died of a natural cause - if he remembered correctly, it was a heart attack probably caused by stress. When Lucas had told Natsu about it, his demeanor changed. His eyes narrowed slightly again and he looked down at his lap. It had been like there was a cloud of rage floating above him. It had sort of scared him a little...definitely more than his drunken father. But, then Natsu returned to his normal self and they continued on with their conversation. They talked about interests, hobbies, likes some dislikes. Lucas felt like he had gotten to know him all over again for some reason, like he had had this conversation before - it was sort of this weird deja vu moment. When they ran out of things to talk about, they both just ate the rest of the strawberries in a comfortable silence. One that was broken when a door was slammed shut downstairs and the whole house shook.

His father was home and he definitely wasn't happy - one of his buds probably pissed him off again.

Natsu's eyes widened and he jumped up from the bed, frantically looking around Lucas's room. Must've been his imagination cause for a second, he thought he looked a little excited. And that that cloud of rage was back. Stupid overactive imagination. 'Crap. If he sees Natsu, he's gonna break something. And it's definitely gonna be me'. Natsu's face lit up when he spotted Lucas's bedroom window. It faced the back of the house so he wouldn't be seen if he left through there, but it was a _window_ and they were on the _second floor._ Natsu crawled over to the window and unlocked it.

"Are-Are you sure that's a good idea, Natsu?", he grinned,

"Don't worry, I'll be fine!", he crawled back over to Lucas and hugged him tightly, whispering something in his ear before he turned and swiftly jumped out the window.

'I...I don't remember telling him my name'.

 _."I hope to see you again tomorrow, Lucas~!"._

* * *

Despite the new cuts, bruises and bandages Lucas earned from bringing someone back to the mansion without his father's permission, he was still happy with himself - even though he had been forced to lie to people who asked what was wrong for the one millionth time in his life and just assure them that everything was fine when it really wasn't - since he had felt as though he'd made a friend. Especially when Natsu came back over again later after school - since his father was home he actually came in through the window. It was probably the most riskiest thing for Lucas to do after the beating he had just taken the night before - he had spent all night in that dungeon - but he still felt as though it was definitely worth it from the affection that Natsu showed him when he noticed his bandages. The light cold touch of his fingers helped with the pain. And all the hugs.

For most of his visit, Natsu just held Lucas tightly and assured him that everything was alright, that he was sorry...and that it would be over soon. Even though he hadn't understood that last part, he had been too occupied by his gentle touch to really think or dwell on much. It was hard for him to not become attached to Natsu after that...he was the first person in his life that had really cared about him, and showed him affection since his mother had died. He was even happier to see him two more times that week. Even though it cost him.


	4. Revelation

Lucas was really tired. Tired of pretty much _everything_ at this point. His whole body ached, even his soul. He had missed seeing Natsu's warm Onyx eyes - the ones he was starting to believe aren't hiding anything - and feeling his gentle touch. A lot. School had been unbearable that day so he had spent most of his time in the bathroom, trying to avoid those dark tendrils until the final bell rang. When it did, he was the first out of that building and now he was walking home. Alone.

As Lucas swiftly strolled past the park, something caught his eye.

Pink hair and a pure white scaled scarf. Lucas walked into the park to get a better look, and sure enough there he was, sitting on the bench. Natsu! And he was sleeping. It took a lot to restrain himself from waking him up or just hugging him, instead he just crept over and quietly sat down on the bench next to him. Natsu looked so relaxed when he was sleeping. His hands were resting in on his stomach, his legs were stretched out in front of him, and his head was resting back on the bench. He was sleeping so...peacefully. It was almost like he was dead. That thought made Lucas's stomach twist and turn. Why would he think of something like that? He sighed softly and just stared at Natsu's face. His eyes twitched and slowly opened. His narrowed black orbs looked up at him. He smiled before stretching his arms over his head,

"Hello Lucas! You looked so focused for a second", Lucas flushed and leaned away,

"Oh...uhm, sorry about...that", he shrugged,

"It's okay. What brings you to the park today?"

"I was just walking home from school. What are you doing here? Do you live near here?"  
"Oh yeah, I do. I live near that abandoned home - you know - the palish yellow one?", Lucas nodded. He knew that house so well that it was almost... _unhealthy_.

3 people had lived in that house. A man - whose wife had died during childbirth - and his two children. That...strangely sounded like what Natsu had told him. No, that wasn't right, he'd never seen Natsu before until a few days ago. And besides, they had lived there for all of their lives until one day...they disappeared. The police had searched everywhere for them...but, what were their names again? Oh, yeah. It was, **Natsu, Wendy and Igneel Dragneel.** Wait, no. That wasn't right.

Lucas groaned and held his aching head. "Lucas? What's wrong?". He started to tremble. Those 3 were dead. Their bodies had been found buried in the backyard. They had all been laid down next to each other, hands folded on their stomachs. It had looked like they were all sleeping peacefully instead of being...dead. The oldest had been wearing a white scaled scarf around his neck...the exact same one that Natsu had. But they were all _dead_! So _who_ , _who_ in the world was sitting next to him?! Who had he been talking to all week? A ghost? A figment of his overactive imagination? That can't be true. That can't be right. It _couldn't_ be. Right? There were only two things that could be right...either this Natsu _wasn't_ actually Natsu. Or Lucas had finally lost it. _No_. He _refused_ to face that fact.

Natsu reached out to touch Lucas. He stood up, avoiding his freakishly cold fingers. He took a step back when he stood too. " _No_ ", Lucas mumbled quietly. Natsu cocked his head to the side, a **grin** spread across his face.

"What~?"

"I SAID _NO!_ DON'T TOUCH ME!". Lucas turned around and ran home, not looking back for a second.

* * *

The grin on Natsu's face widened as he watched Lucas run as fast as his stumbling legs could take him. He _remembered_. Natsu started giggling. That means the time was right. After days of talking with him and comforting him, he finally remembered. It meant that it was time to make him _snap_ , and face the reality that he oh so _dreaded_. Natsu closed his eyes and felt his consciousness slip, awakening moments later at home. Their palish yellow abandoned home. Natsu spotted his sister sitting in the corner again, reading a book. "Hey Wendy!", she looked up with a smile,

"Hello Natsu, you're home early"

"Yeah. He remembered!". Wendy giggled.

"Really? _Finally_ ". Natsu grinned again.

"Well. I've gotta get going now"

"But it's so soon", Natsu chuckled,

"Yes but the sooner the better". Wendy rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to her book. Natsu patted her on the head before floating out of the house.

The Lucas Heartfilia you all knew was just a lie. He's been hiding something. Something dark and ominous that he's kept locked inside a box all this time. Until now.


	5. The End

Lucas sat in the corner of his room, staring blankly at the white, cushion padded ceiling - even though he couldn't reach up there. Why? Why was Natsu alive? No, he couldn't be alive...but he _knew_. He somehow _knew_ what he was hiding. What he had been hiding from everyone. That meant that...he was **it**. **It** has come back for him again. **It** had tried twice before but had failed. **It** had come out from his dreams and was here to make him _snap_. Here to make him face reality. But Lucas refused. He absolutely _refused_ to do that. He didn't want to face reality. If he did, then he would lose his mind. What was he kidding, it wasn't like he had anything else to lose.

He wasn't going to speak to it. He wasn't going to be drawn in by it's bubbly personality and it eyes again. He wasn't going to let him touch him gently like those other times and hug him tightly and reassure him that everything was fine.

He _**refused**_ to let **it** get close again. If it did then...it would swallow him whole.

Then there was a knock on the door. An urgent knock. A _hard_ knock. It was Lucas's father. What did he want this time? Did he need to take out his anger on Lucas again? Remind him of his disappointment? Remind him of how utterly _useless_ he was? Lucas squeezed his bruised and bandaged arms when the knock came again, pushing away the dark tendrils. He really didn't want to go back _there_ right now. He didn't want for those thoughts to consume him again. If they did then **it** would come. He just wanted to be alone. Why wouldn't he just leave. Him. _Alone?_ The knock came again, _harder_. Dread started to pool in the pit of Lucas's stomach. Was that really his father? Or was it... _ **it**_. Or was he actually going crazy? Lucas slowly stood up on shaking legs and ever so slowly crept over the the door. He slowly unlocked the door and swung it open only to be met with a hard slap across the cheek. It knocked him to the ground with a groan before he looked up to meet the steely green eyes of his father. His hands were clenched into hard fists and he has clearly been drinking again.

His father grabbed his hair and dragged him out of the room. Lucas squirmed and struggled to get out of his hard grip. **It hurts**. It really **hurts**. His father dragged him down the grand staircase and came to a stop in the living room, throwing Lucas to the ground. He groaned again before slowly standing up. His father glared down at him and Lucas felt like shrinking back to the floor. But he didn't. Why had his father dragged him to the living room instead of the dungeon? His father snarled, "Why. Is. _**He**_. Here?!". Lucas felt even more confused now. _Who_ was here? Than his father's eyes suddenly went as wide as saucers and he let out a blood curdling scream, holding his hands to his head. He started shaking his head before he fell to his knees and put his head to the ground. And then he started to cry. _Sobbing_ uncontrollably. Lucas was starting to feel sick. The last time he saw his father cry was when his mother had died...but this, this was just...he wouldn't just break down in front of him. _Especially_ not in front of him. And then there was _giggling_. The giggling morphed into full blown maniacal _laughter_ the longer his father wept. Lucas slowly turned to look at the darkest corner of the room, only to meet the cold black orbs of **Natsu Dragneel.**

Lucas stared. Natsu cocked his head to the side, a wide grin spread across his face. "Hey Lucas!". His voice was eerily cheery and he even had a sparkle in his eyes. Lucas took a step back. Natsu took a step forward. Lucas took another step back. Natsu took another step forward. Lucas was absolutely _petrified_. Why was he here?! He giggled again and glanced at Lucas's father who was still slumped to the floor, reduced to a crying mess. "If he's snapped then that means you must too!". Natsu started laughing. High pitched, maniacal _laughter_. Lucas felt himself slowly slipping into reality. No! _NO!_ He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out, just a high pitched shriek. He pushed Natsu away and ran out the door, not looking back. He just let his feet take him wherever they wanted. He didn't care where he went. As long as _**it**_ wasn't there. He didn't want for _**it**_ to be near him. He didn't want _**it**_ to touch him. He didn't want for _**it**_ to look at him.

.He didn't want for _**it**_ to make him face reality.

* * *

Lucas gasped as he came back to his senses. Where was he? A roof? He took a step forward. The cold stone ground made his feet feel numb. **Everything felt numb**. "Hello Lucas~!". Lucas whipped around and was met with the cold black orbs of _**it**_. How?! How did **it** find him?! Lucas took a step back, to which **it** took a step forward. Lucas took another step back. And **it** took another step forward. No. No. No. _nO. No. NO_. Go away! Leave me alone! Why are you here?! Why do you keep haunting me?! It wasn't my fault! Why do you keep torturing me like this?! Lucas let out a blood curdling scream as **it** started to come closer again. He frantically looked around for an escape. **It** was coming closer. **It** was going to get him. **It** was going to kill him. Wait. Wait. Lucas was on a roof right? And this roof didn't have a fence. Right? And **it** couldn't kill him if **he** did it first!

Lucas turned and ran off the roof. A large smile on his face. He had won! He had beaten it! There was one loud thud before everything faded to darkness. And that was it. That was the end. Lucas had won. He had beaten **it**. And now he was free. He was free from it's torment. He was free from his father's torture. He was free from the pitying looks he always got when he went to visit their home again. He was _free_.

 _ **That was the end of**_ _**Lucas Heartfilia**_ _._


End file.
